This disclosure relates generally to methods and devices for adding structural support to walls lacking sufficient structural support. Specifically, this disclosure relates to a device and method for inserting a curable material behind the surface of a wall to create an anchor point to a wall for providing additional structural support to the wall.
When attaching an article to a wall, either the wall itself must be capable of supporting the article, or the article must be attached so that it engages a supporting element behind the wall. This is especially true when the article is heavy, or the article is subject to repeated stresses. It is well know to most homeowners that in order to secure articles of significant weight, such as mirrors, pictures, shelves, light fixtures and the like, to a finished wall, the article must be secured to a frame stud behind the finished wall. In addition, articles that will undergo repeated stresses, such, as towel bars, cabinets, hooks and the like, must also be secured to a frame stud. If these articles are not secured to a frame stud, the articles may not remain secured to the wall, causing damage to the finished wall and possible injury to those nearby. In the case of most residential dwellings the frame studs are composed of wood. In other instances, the frame stud may be composed of aluminum or other metal. In either case, the frame studs are generally placed about 14 xc2xd inches apart in standard construction methods. As a result, in many cases there is not a frame stud available to secure an article in the selected location.
When this problem occurs, the options are to: 1) find an alternate location for the article where there is access to a frame stud; 2) insert a spring-loaded wingnut or similar device into the wall to secure the article to the wall; or 3) insert a blocking element, such as a section of wood, behind the wall to secure the article to the wall. Each of these options has advantages and disadvantages. Option number one, while being the simplest option, is not feasible in some instances as the article would not be functional in the alternate location, or would not have the desired aesthetic qualities in the alternate location. Options two and three allow the article to be placed in the desired location, but each suffers from its own drawbacks. The use of spring-loaded wingnuts or similar devices have the advantage that they are relatively simple to install, requiring only that a hole be drilled into the finished wall to receive the wingnut or other device. However, these devices do not provide a point of attachment of sufficient strength to secure heavy articles to the finished wall. In addition, over time, especially if the article is subject to repeated stress, the wingnut or other device will eventually cause damage to the sheet rock, or fail altogether. In such an instance, the finished wall may require extensive repairs to return it to its original condition. Option number three requires that the area behind the finished wall be xe2x80x9cblocked,xe2x80x9d typically with a section of wood or other material secured between two existing frame studs on either side of the point of installation. In this case, the blocked section receives the article and secures the article to the wall. The blocking method has the advantage that it is capable of securely fastening heavy articles to the wall so that they can withstand repeated stresses over time, but suffers from the drawback that installation of the blocking element is very labor intensive, time consuming and expensive. For example, installation of a wood block behind a finished wall made of sheet rock requires making a hole in the sheet rock wall large enough to expose the two frame studs on either side of the installation point, nailing the wood block to each frame stud, applying new sheet-rock to the hole created, applying mud to the new section of sheet rock, sanding the newly applied mud, applying a second coat of mud, re-sanding, priming the new sheet rock section and applying new paint or wall paper to the new finished wall section. If the finished wall is made of plaster or other material, the process may even be more involved.
As can be seen from the above discussion, a device and method are needed for adding structural support to a wall, such that the reinforced wall is able to securely receive heavy loads and stresses without failing or becoming damaged over time. The device and method should be simple to use and install, economical and provide at least as much strength as current alternatives, such as blocking with wood.
The present disclosure describes a device and method for the creation of anchor points at any point in a wall through the application of a curable anchor material. The anchor material is injected behind the wall and allowed to cure. Once cured, the newly created anchor point will allow the wall to support heavy loads and undergo repeated stress without being damaged.
The device of the present disclosure is in its most general form a bladder, with openings, or adhesion points, therein which is packaged in a deflated state in a protective housing. The bladder is fluidly connected to a source of anchor material by a connecting means. Once the device is inserted behind the wall, the device is ready for use. On activation of the device, anchor material is dispensed from the source into the bladder through the connecting means. The anchor material is metered to expand the bladder beyond its capacity, causing the anchor material to be extruded through the adhesion points on the bladder into the space behind the wall. The anchor material adheres to everything it contacts, and creates a structural anchor point capable of securing heavy articles such that they can withstand repeated stress over time. After the anchor material has set (usually 10-30 minutes), the protruding portion of the device is snapped off at a pre-engineered breakpoint so that the portion of the device remaining is flush with the outer wall.
The anchor material may be any single or multi-component system, such as polyesters, or other high density structural foams with the necessary cured physical properties to handle heavy loads and repeated stress over a long period of time, while meeting all building codes. The area of the anchor point will depend on the size of the bladder used, the amount of anchor material used and the wall space available. For typical household uses, the device will be engineered to create an anchor point from 4 to 16 inches in diameter.